Heilbad Heiligenstadt

About

Heilbad Heiligenstadt (German pronunciation: [ˈhaɪlˌbaːt ˈhaɪlɪɡn̩ˌʃtat]) is a spa town in Thuringia, Germany. It is the capital of the Eichsfeld district.

Heiligenstadt is approximately 14 km east of the tripoint where the states of Thuringia, Hesse and Lower Saxony meet. It lies on the upper course of the river Leine (a tributary of the Aller ) that flows through the town from east to west and is joined near the centre of the town by the Geislede.

South of the town is the Iberg, a 453.2 m tall peak located in the Heiligenstadt Stadtwald, which forms part of the Naturpark Eichsfeld-Hainich-Werratal.

The municipality of Heilbad Heiligenstadt consists of the central town and the following villages ( Ortsteile ):

The municipality of Heilbad Heiligenstadt consists of the central town and the following villages ( Ortsteile ):

- In 1929 the salt-water hydropathic baths were built and in 1950 the town was designated a spa.

- On 9 November 1938, the town synagogue was desecrated. The event is commemorated in a plaque on the building, which is now a residence.

- In October 1989, demonstrations began in Heiligenstadt as part of the Peaceful Revolution in East Germany.

- In 1994, Heiligenstadt became the capital of the new district of Eichsfeld, formed by the amalgamation of the districts of Heiligenstadt and Worbis.

Data since 1994: Thüringian state office of statistics

Despite the official designation of the town as a spa in 1929 and a 1950 decision by the town council to append the word Soleheilbad (salt-water spa) to its name, it remained officially "Heiligenstadt" (literally Holy City) during the East German years. In 1990 the city government still used only Heiligenstadt.

However, the post office used Heilbad Heiligenstadt, as did postcard companies and the local savings bank. In fact between 1950 and 1990, the town had the distinction of being referred to in three different ways: as Heiligenstadt, Heilbad Heiligenstadt, or Heiligenstadt (Eichsf.) (for Eichsfeld).

In 1990, the town council and especially the mayor began expanding the spa business and it took on increasing importance. In addition, after German reunification, there were several Heiligenstadts in Germany. Initially the government declined to rename the town Heilbad Heiligenstadt because of a lack of evidence that it was a spa, but the town lodged an appeal and used the one and a half years before an official visit and the relative lack of oversight immediately after reunification to create spa facilities and integrate the word Heilbad into official usage. Permission for the renaming was then granted since the town was evidently a spa and using that name.

Data since 1994: Thüringian state office of statistics

Despite the official designation of the town as a spa in 1929 and a 1950 decision by the town council to append the word Soleheilbad (salt-water spa) to its name, it remained officially "Heiligenstadt" (literally Holy City) during the East German years. In 1990 the city government still used only Heiligenstadt.

However, the post office used Heilbad Heiligenstadt, as did postcard companies and the local savings bank. In fact between 1950 and 1990, the town had the distinction of being referred to in three different ways: as Heiligenstadt, Heilbad Heiligenstadt, or Heiligenstadt (Eichsf.) (for Eichsfeld).

In 1990, the town council and especially the mayor began expanding the spa business and it took on increasing importance. In addition, after German reunification, there were several Heiligenstadts in Germany. Initially the government declined to rename the town Heilbad Heiligenstadt because of a lack of evidence that it was a spa, but the town lodged an appeal and used the one and a half years before an official visit and the relative lack of oversight immediately after reunification to create spa facilities and integrate the word Heilbad into official usage. Permission for the renaming was then granted since the town was evidently a spa and using that name.

- Eichsfeld Heimatmuseum (local history collection)

- The Borderland Museum Eichsfeld is located a few miles outside the city of Heiligenstadt and deals with the inner-German border and the history of the GDR

- Mainz Schloss, seat of the administrator for Eichsfeld when it was a dominion of the Archbishopric of Mainz